Non Stop Action Reports

1 Pocket Ghost

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Forgettabout all of this arguing going on on the forum - Let's talk about Gambling ! There's one subject that is not posted very often and yet it's something that most everybody on here loves to hear about - ACTION. The only time that we have people posting action reports (myself included) is after giant tournaments like the DCC etc. So my proposal is that howsabout everybody on the site, all around the country, who is around any action that is serious, shortstopish or at least interesting in some way, start posting reports (true, accurate, reports if at all possible ^_^) on sessions that you've seen recently...And lets keep the reports coming in on a regular, perpetual basis...We'll leave it up to each posters discretion on whether they want to state the spots involved/how the players matched up or not (some lesser known players/road players might not want their speed reported)....*A note to our friends from other countries that are on here - We want to hear from you too - What are the gambling sessions like in your countries ?...And you lurkers out there, you can also stop lurking for a minute and contribute ^_^ ....Hey, were all nosy action junkies here, we'll even accept non pool related action reports = Like if you saw Race Track Phil win a 10 dimes trifecta at the track, or you saw Sang Lee drop 5 dimes playing craps at the Mirage (he does love casino action, by the way - loves it too much as a matter of fact) ^_^

Okay then, I'll start the ball rolling...Over the last two weeks Marco Marquez and Ike Runnels had two sessions of even One Pocket. It wasn't that serious, just 100 jellybeans a game. The first session, after about 5 hours, Marco came out about 3-4 games ahead. Several days later they played again but Ike quit after just three games (Ike up one game), because of an argument about whether Ikes shot through/at an angle away from a frozen ball was a double hit or not.....All right then, somebody else keep the ball rolling now..........Ghost ps, I also played Marco two sessions of One Pocket over the last coupla weeks - we broke even, but I'm not tellin' how we played ^_^
 
I'mfrom Australia..and just a quick question..
What are the amounts of money you guys talk about when you say 'nickel' or 'dime'....I have an idea but just want to know for sure....
and any other jargon I should know about?
 
BeeMan said:
I'mfrom Australia..and just a quick question..
What are the amounts of money you guys talk about when you say 'nickel' or 'dime'....I have an idea but just want to know for sure....
and any other jargon I should know about?
nickle = $500
dime = $1000
YMMV = your milage may vary
 
I'd love to hear any stories on Rachel Abbink and Larry Nevel. They are the Bonny and Clyde of the pool circuit. I was there when Rachel took a cool chunk of change off of Ronnie Wiseman at the Viking Nationals, I believe that it was around 5 dimes. However in all fairness Ronnie did not seem to be at his best that day.
 
henho said:
However in all fairness Ronnie did not seem to be at his best that day.

So, where was Ronnie slippin'? Did he not grab his crotch at the apex of Rachel's backswing? Did the bar run out of Miller High Life? Did he forget how to cuss the balls?
 
Wow, I'm guessing you're not a fan of Ronnie or the old school of gamblers. Im also betting you wouldn't play him some if you had a gun to your head. If you are just talking out of your ass, he is a very nice and personable guy when the money is not on the line.
 
There is always a game in WI at the Hollow. Also, I hear that the Friday night Tourney in Farmington, WI is a good spot. Calcutta and action afterwards. Also, the owners son will play a little.

Always something small that can be found. :cool:
 
Never underestimate the hostility/argumentativeness of the human race. My first words in starting out this thread were, "Let's stop all these argumentative posts and talk about action and gambling instead"....Well, what happened ? - After 450 views nobody posted any action reports, but instead, by the 6th post a new hostile argument started....I give up, I think I'll join the lurkers.
 
1pocket, I'm always interested in hearing the real story on players behind the scenes, that is as interesting as action reports. That being said, I am a friend of Ronnie's and honestly did not know nor have reason to believe that people had such a negative opinion of him. Can someone please tell me exactly what makes him a jerk? I've heard him talk rough at the table, but only to someone talking rough back (i.e. strickland, petroni) and I like his don't-take-any-sh!t attitude. Is he really that bad?
 
1 Pocket Ghost said:
Never underestimate the hostility/argumentativeness of the human race. My first words in starting out this thread were, "Let's stop all these argumentative posts and talk about action and gambling instead"....Well, what happened ? - After 450 views nobody posted any action reports, but instead, by the 6th post a new hostile argument started....I give up, I think I'll join the lurkers.

Lurkers suck. All they do is get together at the secret meetings and complain about the regular posters arguing. ;)
 
Ronnie "Everything's Funny When You're Winning Big Money" Wiseman

henho said:
Wow, I'm guessing you're not a fan of Ronnie or the old school of gamblers. Im also betting you wouldn't play him some if you had a gun to your head. If you are just talking out of your ass, he is a very nice and personable guy when the money is not on the line.

Well, I'm a fan of Ronnie's, on or off the table. Here's a trip report my girlfriend wrote last year about Gene Hooker's Carolinas Open in Goldsboro, North Carolina:

The week-long event was wonderful. The one-pocket tournament occurred Tuesday and Wednesday, and then the 9-ball tournament followed. Local folks were grilling out front, and the smell of sausages, pork chops, chicken, and pulled pork sandwiches was appetizing. It was a very well-run tournament with matches starting at designated times, eliminating all that waiting around, wondering when your match will start.

The tournament gossip buzz centered on Alex the Lion. I am sure we are going to be hearing a lot more about this Canadian sweetie. All of the pros seem to be in agreement that Alex is probably one of the best pool players in the world right now. His break is flawless, always pocketing balls, and he runs out effortlessly. His relaxed demeanor complements his style of play, joking with the crowd, cutting up with other players. Nobody wanted to tangle with him in the off hours because it was too hard, if not impossible, to match up with him.

Alex came to the tournament with Ron Wiseman and Teddy the Greek. After Ron "Everything is funny when you're winning big money" Wiseman won the one-pocket event, Alex surged forward to win the 9-ball event. First, there was the Filipino Invasion, and now we have the Canadian Invasian, with Alex and Ron leading the way.

There were a lot of name-brand players who came, Earl, Nick Varner, Johnny Archer, Jose Parica, Dave Bollman, Frank Tulles, Tony Watson, and Keith McCready, just to name a few. After the matches were over, it was let the games begin, with Keith doing the most barking.

There were two sessions I will never forget. A guy named Keith Bennett approached Keith McCready, and the two got into a real bark-fest, getting a little heated at times. Keith McCready, who is not happy with his 9-ball break, told Keith Bennett that he would play him even, only if McCready gets to have a designated breaker. Keith Bennett agreed.

Well, McCready's designated breaker was a fellow who is 6'7" and about 260 pounds. I think after the first couple of games with this giant breaking the balls for McCready, Bennett knew he was screwed. The big guy would break and Keith McCready just ran out, plain and simple. This race-to-10 was over in minutes, with McCready realizing he is a force to be reckoned with, if only he had a better break.

The next night, after the matches were over, the barking began again. There was a lot of little side games going on, leaving only a few available targets for Keith. Ron Wiseman was also not engaged in any action, and so a brief colloquy ensued with Keith saying, "Well, Ron, I'll play you even, only if I can have a designated breaker," thinking he had the dead nuts again. Ron said, "Fine, no problem. Then I get to have a designated breaker, too. Let's get it going." Keith went to the car to retrieve his cue stick and got the same big guy who broke for him in his Keith Bennett match, feeling pretty confident and cocky.

When he came to the table, he looked around to see what big guy Ron Wiseman had chosen to be his designated breaker, and lo and behold, it was little Alex the Lion. How in the world, Keith thought, would Alex be any competition against his big breaker? After winning the flip of the coin, Alex begain with his powerful break in this race to 10. Keith shot four times the whole match, with three of them being safeties that Ron left him. He missed one ball, a difficult long shot on the 4-ball. Meanwhile, as the score came to 10-zip, with Alex pocketing balls on every single break and Ron running out, the race-to-10 set was over in minutes. After the sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth game, Keith tried diligently to settle out of court, but Ronnie and Alex wouldn't hear of it and kept it going. They were laughing so hard they could hardly shoot balls in as Keith sat on his perch chirping all the way. After the win, Ronnie, Alex, and Teddy the Greek taunted Keith by saying, "Hey, maybe next time you need to get a better breaker," knowing the big guy never got a chance to get up off his stool. I have to admit, it was a costly, but funny exhibition.

There are some new kids on the block, a young fellow from Tennessee named Hennessee, a guy they call "G.I. Joe" a/k/a B.J. Ussery, and many more. These talented young players will be ones to watch in the future. Hennessee should have beaten Keith in the 9-ball tourney. With the score being hill-hill, Hennessee ran out to the 8-ball with an easy cut in the corner. He made the shot and watched in horror as the cue-ball scratched, giving Keith ball in hand for the match win.

Well, thought I'd give you all a trip report of some of the activities. If you ever get the chance to go to a pool tournament down South, do it. The North Carolineans are some of the nicest people I have ever met. All of the players hung out after the tournament was over, mingling with the crowds, signing autographs, and enjoying the Southern hospitality. Diana Hoppe was there taking pictures for AzB. She also took pictures for folks who wanted their picture taken with players, delivering the photos the next day so that they could have them autographed.
 

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That was a good one, Keith (Jennie!).

Damn, sausage-fingers never got up to bat?!

-pige
 
Hey- that's 2-days in a row that you are up early. Are you sure you're a pool player?

Unless, of course, he's been up all night, in which case he's a lock for this weekend's Planet Pool! :cool:

-piga
 
don't give up theres still hope

1 Pocket Ghost said:
Never underestimate the hostility/argumentativeness of the human race. My first words in starting out this thread were, "Let's stop all these argumentative posts and talk about action and gambling instead"....Well, what happened ? - After 450 views nobody posted any action reports, but instead, by the 6th post a new hostile argument started....I give up, I think I'll join the lurkers.


1 Pocket, theres still hope these guys will understand "action stories" don't mean woofing and bickering. Does any body ever play ring games anymore? Sam
 
henho said:
Wow, I'm guessing you're not a fan of Ronnie or the old school of gamblers. Im also betting you wouldn't play him some if you had a gun to your head. If you are just talking out of your ass, he is a very nice and personable guy when the money is not on the line.

Henho, Ronnie Allen (not Wiseman, I'm not sure if Earthquake got mixed up) is a very engaging, even charming, man when not at the table. But you can't tell me that everything I wrote isn't true.

And, may be if I weren't playing him, all of his antics would be kind of funny, but I gave him 9-8 and shoved it down his pie hole. Now there's an action report. This was almost 4 years ago, though.

Funny story...we are sitting around one day shootin the shit, and Ronnie tells me, for about the 100th time, that he would like to start our sessions earlier in the afternoon...he says he's old and so on. I tell him, hey man, if I gotta work, I gotta work. I ask Ronnie to wake up and go with me to work in the morning (tongue in cheek, of course), so that way we can start our session at lunch, and then head straight to the pool room after work. Ronnie says, "If anybody offers me a job, I'll smack him in the face!" I guess you had to be there, but we were in stitches.

So what do I win for that bet, henho? Hell, I wish I could put a gun to his head to make him play me...
 
henho said:
Wow, I'm guessing you're not a fan of Ronnie or the old school of gamblers. Im also betting you wouldn't play him some if you had a gun to your head. If you are just talking out of your ass, he is a very nice and personable guy when the money is not on the line.

I digress, I was the confused one, not Keither. I totally thought we were talking about Ronnie 'Fast Eddie' Allen. Wiseman seemed like a real good guy for the short period I talked to him. And if Ronnie Wiseman ever came through, it doesn't take much to get me down...
 
Yeah I was a little surprised that someone would have reason to be that hostile towards Wiseman, I've never heard many have reason to be. As for Allen, I've never had the chance to chat much with him, but I've heard that his antics give Kiether a run for the money! :p
 
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